


Baby, You’re So Classic

by Sunny_Lana



Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: Carolyn needs to chill, Emma & Nicholas should not be a couple EWW, Everyone tries to survive, F/M, I have a crush on this show, Lucy’s Journal, My time couples, One-Shots, Renew for Season 3?, Rufus is always friendship goals, Season 2 spoilers, The Time Team™️, Timeless, Who is Jessica Logan now?, Wyatt & Lucy are complicated
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-01 01:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14509794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunny_Lana/pseuds/Sunny_Lana
Summary: One-shots of our favorite time travelers who basically just mess with history and learn how to live in a world that’s constantly changing.Spoilers for Seasons 1-2.





	1. Empty Mugs & Full Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know...it’s short. I’m sorry. I just loved this idea, so I ran with it and turned it into a supportive Lucy & Rufus friendship.

Rufus corners her in their makeshift kitchen, his hands folding nervously around his half-filled coffee cup. It feels like a near deja vu, like a replay of how she fidgeted when Jessica offered to make her tea, and she expects awkwardness instantly. She leans up against the counter, waiting for the coffee pot to fill, despite her reservations.

 

It would be easier to pretend she has no idea why his demeanor is suddenly unnerved, but she knows exactly what it’s about. Jiya has already broached the subject with her, and Rufus knows even more about her than their other resident tech wiz. Mason and Agent Christopher are likely the only oblivious people in the bunker, and even that is hard to believe with the atmospheric tension in their hidden and thus rather tiny space.

 

“Lucy,” he says carefully, his dark eyes attaching to her own as she looks up to meet him. She loves Rufus like a brother, and he’s basically the most precious, sensitive guy around, but she doesn’t think she really needs his impending pep talk. Still, she stands across from him pensively, letting him finish. “I can’t even pretend to know what you’re going through.” He tilts his head in a Rufus-esque way, half ponderance and half wry wit. “Although I’m sure that no one in history really has either.” He quirks his lips up awkwardly. “At any rate, I know this whole thing really fucking sucks, and I’m proud of you.”

 

It’s the way he says he’s proud of her, with such force and drive. He continues, with a burst of momentum, gesticulating as he goes. “You, right now, are probably going through the craziest situation out of all of us, with your mom, and Emma, and...well, the Wyatt-and-Jessica-thing,” he adds, settling his own impending doom to the back burner because he’ll be alive until he’s dead and that’s all that matters now. “And look at you, you’re still standing, and you’ve never given up.” His eyes shine at her.

 

Lucy can feel her eyes wetting and she quickly shakes herself, strolling casually towards Rufus and the coffee and reaching past him for a mug. It’s not until she’s pours herself a glass of the steaming, prepared drink and finally settles it down on the counter that she turns and looks at him. He’s giving her an expectant expression, not fearful, but rather concerned.

 

She straightens her face into a smile, and this time she means it. “Thanks, Rufus,” she acknowledges. “But we’re all having our own little battles,” she reminds. “Jiya’s new medical condition, Mason losing basically everything he’s ever owned, Flynn being out of lockdown - I mean, Agent Christopher was essentially assaulted by my crazy mother.” Lucy gives a sarcastic, embittered laugh. “And Wyatt - well, he’s manning up,” she justifies. “He needs to make the right choice.” It’s left unspoken what she thinks this right choice is, but Rufus knows well enough how Lucy is.

 

He would certainly never ask to be in Wyatt’s position, at any rate.

 

Then she fixes him with a knowing expression. “I know you, Rufus. I’ve known you for centuries, if we’re counting,” she remarks with a slight smile. “And I know there’s something you’re battling, something you haven’t told me - us - yet.”

 

Rufus starts to mutter words, but Lucy’s fingers find his wrist. She’s genuinely looking at him now. “Hey, you can tell me all about it when you’re ready to, okay? Just know that I’m here for you.” She removes her fingers as an afterthought, but her next words qualify her comforts. “I know that Jiya is, too, of course, but I’ll always lend a listening ear.”

 

And just that is enough to put Rufus’ quirky smile back on his face.

 

Flynn finds them two hours later, where they’re still in the kitchen, their coffee cups empty but their hearts utterly full.


	2. Heart(less)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Post 2x09; a little look into a villain’s inner thoughts.

Emma wondered if Lucy heard it, much less understood it. The way Flynn was so willing to chase her down - the way he shouted her name, desperately, wildly, hoping for a response.

 

She herself had spent a while by his side, pretending to take Rittenhouse to the grave, and she knew him well...she just wondered if Lucy would understand, if she would ever figure out Flynn’s motivations.

 

In her head, she wanted to scream as a doctor removed the bullet that Lucy had managed to shoot towards her left back. That absolute b*tch, the princess who got everything, while she suffered. And yet Emma could certainly see pitying Lucy at the same time- her mother was a psychopath and her great grandfather was a complete bastard. Sleeping with him was a step to trust, and trying to earn Carol’s had backfired anyway. She was just glad they were finally dead and Lucy had been put in her place.

 

But she tried to focus on other things besides the pain and that sick, twisted family: how would she and Jessica go on? In a strange way, she was grateful to have someone who wasn’t of “Rittenhouse blood” running the show with her, but there was a limit to how much she could trust Jessica. If she was a liability, Emma would put her and the life inside her six feet under with very little remorse.

 

On that note, she was pretty sure she’d manage to at least wound Rufus, if not kill him. A slight tinge of guilt coursed through her, but she was quite used to betrayal, so it didn’t sting as much as it could have. Flynn had likely been wounded as well, but she rather resented the weird bastard, so that hardly poked her conscience. If she had one, these days.

 

She was doing it for the greater good, for the safety of the future. It was easy when she remembered why and how and who and what she was doing it for.

 

The doctor backed away to clean up his tools and supplies and let Jessica move in. Emma supposed Jessica had to think of her as a sister or something like that, so she allowed the brief worry that crossed the other Rittenhouse agent’s face. “How you feeling?”

 

The woman sounded sort of like Emma had to imagine Wyatt would in such a situation, which irked her, but she slowly answered anyway. “I’m fine,” she returned shortly, accompanied by a somewhat terse expression. “Don’t worry about me. We’ve got more pressing issues to think about.”

 

Jessica nodded knowingly, although Emma was 90% sure the other woman had no idea what they were about to get into. Emma was about to step out and really get the ball rolling, the secrets and tools she could use endless by this point with how many people she had backstabbed and run over. She couldn’t trust anyone, even though she always had her ways of getting them to trust her.

 

It was a good reminder that she was alone again, just like she’d always been. Just like she’d always be. And she would continue leading Rittenhouse her way. Lucy, Flynn, Rufus - all of them be damned. This time, Emma would steal the show, Emma would be the winner. No one was going to stop her.


	3. Half of My Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Post 2x09 with all the sadness in my heart.

Jiya replays the moment over and over and over. Her visions are almost broken, _she’s broken_.

 

It’s her fault he’s dead and it hurts so much. She gets stuck in a vision of the past, because now she can control it and change where she goes and what she does. But it doesn’t change what’s already happened.

 

Rufus is dead.

 

She relives that split second again and again and again.

 

They all had rushed out the doors of the saloon, chasing after Emma and Jessica, or maybe running away from them, it’s hard to remember. There had been this utter pause, this blank space of time, at least from Jiya’s perspective. Then the shots had sounded off, several in succession. The next thing she had known, Rufus was falling, falling, falling ... his breathing had been heavy, suddenly so heavy and shallow the moment after, like he was struggling.

 

He had been struggling. And she had been struggling with him.

 

Jiya breathes in and breathes out even as the visions fill her head, her senses, her whole being.

 

Lucy had run off after Emma, Flynn had chased her down, and Wyatt had bent down with Rufus, holding him as the blood began to run.

 

Jiya finds the red on her sleeve and sighs, feeling for her own pulse like she had felt for Rufus’.

 

Leaving him behind - that had been the hardest thing she’d ever had to do, but there was only room for four and Wyatt (1), Lucy (2), Flynn (3), and her (4). They had to drag her into the Lifeboat, kicking and screaming and she doesn’t regret a moment of it.

 

She may have come back but she’ll never be the same without Rufus.

 

She slides off her bloody clothing and throws it against the wall in anger. It was her fault, her fault, her fault. She easily would have survived in the 1800s if it kept Rufus alive; that had been her goal all along.

 

And somehow they had convinced her - Rufus and Lucy had convinced her. She couldn’t blame them, they had done what any good friends would do and done what any good time travelers would do. They had fought and they had won in small ways, and lost in big ones.

 

Taking stock - Rufus dead, Carol Preston (the horror story that she had been) dead, and that weirdo...Nicholas? dead. Lucy is heavily injured, as is Flynn, and Wyatt’s wife (or whatever she is...) is carrying his child, putting him in between a rock and a hard place. Jiya herself isn’t much help with her wild head and her broken heart.

 

She breathes in and out.

 

“Jiya?” Lucy is knocking on the door. “Jiya, can I come in?”

 

Jiya barely makes a noise and certainly doesn’t move from where she’s plopped on her bed, having slipped on one of Rufus’ sweatshirts and his old sweats.

 

She feels foreign in her skin as Lucy comes in anyway, the old bed slightly creaking as the other woman sits down.

She doesn’t say anything, just takes Jiya’s hand and squeezes like she’s a lifeline, like they have to be each other’s lifelines.

 

Of course, with her mother and great grandfather dead, her beloved sister gone from time itself, Wyatt lost in his own drama - if anyone has known loss, it’s Lucy. And she’s lost a best friend.

 

“He loves you,” Lucy says quietly, suddenly. “He loves all of us, like family. Rufus has the uncanny ability to make everyone into family.”

 

It takes Jiya a moment to realize Lucy is talking about him as if he’s still here. “Lucy,” she reminds in a quiet tone. “Rufus died.”

 

Lucy hums slightly. “We’re time travelers. He’s not dead in most places in time and space and he’ll never be truly dead anyway.”

 

“We can’t get him back,” Jiya argues, like she’s trying to keep up a good front. “It could ruin all of time and space for us to enter our own timelines.”

 

Lucy shrugs. “It’s Rufus. If I’m going to ever give up on anyone, it’s not going to be Rufus.” She squeezes Jiya’s hand again. “I have no idea how, but we’re going to get him back someday.” Her eyes shine with promises, and Jiya can’t help but feel a slight spark of hope.

 

But the fire inside, the sadness, smothers the majority of it quickly.She can’t believe they’d cross their own timelines for Rufus, no matter how much love they have in their hearts. But deep down, far inside, she knows something is coming.

 

Hope holds on to the missing half of her heart.


End file.
